9 Arrested For Beating Dalit Man To Death In MP's Sagar, Oppn Targets BJP Govt

Opposition parties, including Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), hit out at the BJP-led government over the incident, which took place on Thursday.

Police on Sunday said that a Dalit community youth from Madhya Pradesh was allegedly beaten to death by a group of people.

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New Delhi: Police on Sunday said that a Dalit community youth from Madhya Pradesh was allegedly beaten to death by a group of people over an old enmity in Sagar district. Eight persons have been arrested so far in this connection, police informed.

Opposition parties, including Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), hit out at the BJP-led government over the incident, which took place on Thursday.

However, the ruling BJP said that action was promptly taken in the case and it was fortunate that Congress president Mallikarjin Kharge and his party leaders adopted a selective approach to crimes.

Speaking to ANI, MP Minister Bhuppendra Singh said, "The incident is unfortunate. All accused in the FIR have been arrested. This was not an atrocity. It was a long conflict between two parties. There was a fight because of the conflict. This incident took place because of the conflict. The truth will come out after the investigation."

#WATCH | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: Minister Bhuppendra Singh says, "The incident is unfortunate. All accused in the FIR have been arrested... This was not an atrocity. It was a long conflict between two parties. There was a fight because of the conflict. This incident took place… https://t.co/PQopAWwQnQ pic.twitter.com/PKeXKBKQ2l

— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) August 27, 2023

"There was a conflict for a long, and there were court cases running... This should not be seen from any other angle...this should not be politicised. Congress is trying to divide society. Congress is trying to use it politically," he added.

The assembly polls in the state are due this year-end.

Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Uikey told PTI, "The deceased, Nitin Ahirwar aka Lalu, in the age group of 18 to 20 years and a resident of Barodia Nonagir village under Khurai Dehat (rural) police station limits, was beaten up on Thursday following which the police registered a case against nine identified and three-four unidentified persons under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 307 (attempt to murder)."

Following his death, IPC section 302 (murder) and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were added, Uikey said.

The ASP said according to police records, the deceased was facing seven cases of extortion, beating, and theft.

Kharge in a post on X said a Dalit youth was beaten to death in the Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh and the "goons" did not even spare his mother.

The prime minister, who is "pretending" to get Sant Ravidas temple built in Sagar, does not even speak on "Dalit and tribal oppression and injustice happening continuously in Madhya Pradesh," he claimed.

The Congress leader claimed the BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh has the highest rate of crimes against Dalits, "three times the national average".

“Modi ji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi), this time the people of Madhya Pradesh are not going to fall under the trap of BJP, you will get the answer to the agony of the deprived and exploited sections of society after a few months. BJP's departure is certain,” he added in the post.

BSP chief Mayawati in a post on X also hit out at the BJP government over the incident.

MP Congress chief Kamal Nath also condemned the incident and demanded adequate compensation for the family of the deceased.